Life Happens
by boerwina
Summary: You can't prepare for life, sometimes things come in from our blind spots and we can't even see them coming. Linstead pairing. Chicago PD fanfic. Not AU but doesn't follow the story line either. Please read and review!


_**I do not own Criminal Minds, this is purely for entertainment purposes.**_

A week ago, a man had been found dead, shot in the head with traces of cocaine on his clothes and was identified as Hector Martinez. Digging into the background of the victim had yet to yield any substantial leads and the Intelligence team was frustrated.

"Why does an upstanding citizen end up shot in the head with traces of coke on his clothes?" Antonio wondered aloud as he scrutinized the investigation board.

"Sudden death wish?" Halstead joked.

"Ha-ha." Antonio replied. "Something big had to happen. We didn't find anything in his personal life?" He glanced at Erin Lindsay who shook her head.

"The Momack brothers still run the drug trade in that neighborhood. They don't strike me as the type to be okay with anyone creeping up on their territory." Antonio said.

"You think Martinez started to deal?" Voight asked skeptically.  
"No, but the coke on his clothes had to come from somewhere." Antonio reasoned.

"What are you thinking?" Olinsky questioned the younger detective.

Antonio Dawson shook his head, "Martinez's parents own a laundromat on 5th."

Ruzek began pulling on his coat and said "My washer broke this morning."

"I'll bet it did." Lindsay said with a grin and a shake of her head.

"Just observe, don't blow it. I want to get these bastards on the coke _and_ murder." Hank warned the two detectives as they headed out. "Erin, dig into his parent's criminal and financial history, see what you find. Al, I want you to have eyes on the Momacks, if they stop to buy a pack of gum, I want to know."

Olinsky nodded and headed out himself. Hank watched his friend head out and turned to face the investigation board himself. _What the hell am I missing? _Hank Voight continued to ponder the case as the other detectives worked to piece it together.

Lindsay read over the information on her screen, finding what she was looking for she suddenly stood up.

"I got it!" Lindsay exclaimed.

"What?" Voight asked exiting his office.

"Martinez has a sister, 12 years younger. His mother placed her up for adoption, our vic recently found her, she was working at a diner. Her name is Angel Greene. She has a previous drug charge."

"For what?"

"Cocaine."

The two shared a knowing look before Erin reached for her coat and Hank pulled out his cell phone to let the others know.

Erin dialed the diner as she hurried down the stairs with Voight on her heels. She hung up as they got into the Suburban.

"No answer at the diner, it might be too early for them to be open." She paused for a moment and then continued. "What if Hector found out his sister was using again and decided to follow her to her supplier? Things get out of hand, he ends up dead." Erin surmised.

"Let's try to find his sister, see if she's been using."

Hours later, they had learned Angel hadn't shown up to work in 4 days but other than that, they had gotten no closer to solving this case.

Erin heard the sharp ringing of her phone cut through her sleep ladened brain.

"Lindsay." She muttered into her cell as she reached for her lamp. Finally finding the cord she pulled and her bedroom was quickly bathed in light.

"Detective Lindsay, this is Officer Pendry, I'm calling to let you know two bodies have just turned up related to your current case. Juan and Carlita Martinez."

"They had ID on them?"

"Yes maam. They were both found with their identification, both shot in the head, hands and feet bound."

"Time of death?"

"About 3 hours ago, maam."

"Thank you officer."

Erin shook her head and hung up the call. She sighed and headed to take a shower.

Erin called Voight as she pulled out of her parking garage. He answered after one ring.

"Voight, patrol found 2 bodies."

"Where?"

"Down by the river, I got a call about a half hour ago, I'm headed down there now. They were found with identification, it's the parents of Martinez. Killed the same way, their bodies weren't hidden."

"Whoever did this didn't care if they were found."

"Sending a message or rushed for time?" Erin speculated.

"I'll call Olinsky and Dawson you call Halstead."

"Got it."

Erin pulled up outside of Jay's apartment building.

"Aww, you shouldn't have." Erin said with a smile as she took the extra cup of coffee Halstead handed her as he got into her car.

"I've seen you without coffee, it was 100% selfish." Jay grinned.

"Jerk." Erin muttered and she whacked his arm before pulling away from the curb.

After checking out the crime scene, the Intelligence unit had gone back to the drawing board and they were determined to find Angel Greene and hopefully put this case to bed.

"I got a CI that said they saw a woman matching the description at the club on 31st two night ago." Dawson said as he hung up his cell.  
Voight nodded, "You and Ruzek check it out."

Dawson and Ruzek headed out and Lindsay scrutinized a report in front of her. _How the hell did I miss this?_ She wondered to herself.  
"Angel Greene has two children." She proclaimed as she stood and put the new information on the investigation board. "4 and 1, Sophia and Mariana."

"How the _hell_ did we miss this?" Voight angrily said.

"It's my fault, I checked public records for Angel Greene not Angel Martinez. I didn't think she had went back to her birth name." Erin said as she worked on her computer for a minute. "Angel Martinez has an apartment on 35th, less than a mile from the club she was seen at last night."

"Jay and I will check it out." Lindsay said before she turned and headed for the stairs. Halstead quickly stood and hurried after Lindsay.

After driving in silence for a few minutes, Jay took a deep breath.

"Don't." Erin sharply began.

"I didn't say anything." Jay held his hands up in surrender.

"You were going to say something. The reality is, I should have looked into it sooner especially when we couldn't find a current address for Angel Greene." Erin shook her head angrily. "God damn it!"

Jay gave her a moment of silence before quickly saying:"Don't be so hard on yourself Erin. No one else thought to look up Angel by her other last name, if it wasn't for you, we probably still wouldn't have thought of it." Jay said quietly as they pulled up to the apartment building.

Erin didn't answer him before putting the car in park and getting out.

She gestured and Jay nodded before quickly moving around the building. Erin found the front door and knocked loudly. She heard someone moving around inside but then nothing. She un-holstered her gun and knocked again.

No sound.

She tried the doorknob and it turned easily under her hand. "Front door unlocked, I'm going in." She relayed quietly into the radio.

"Wait for me." Halstead replied quickly.

"Copy that."

Halstead met her at the front door 10 seconds later and they nodded quickly to each other before systematically clearing the apartment. The apartment was small, about 500 sq feet, filth and garbage everywhere. The two detectives quickly cleared the main living area and then both turned towards the bedroom.

"Chicago PD," Jay yelled loudly. "Last chance, head out here and you won't get shot. If I have to come get you, I'm not making any promises."

Again, they heard nothing so they nodded to each other and stepped forward in tandem to the door. Jay turned the knob and they both stepped into the room. Jay cleared the bathroom for a threat and Erin checked behind the door and under the bed for a threat. Finding none, she turned her attention to the woman in the bed. Angel Martinez was still, clammy and breathing shallowly.

"We need an ambo to 1459 35th, woman late 20s, possible OD." Erin relayed into her radio before her eyes came to rest to a suspicious looking lump of clothes in the corner of the closet.

She holstered her gun and gestured for Jay to do the same.

"I sure wish we had found those little girls." She said wistfully to Jay. "They must be so scared and I really want to hug them and tell them it's going to be okay."

Jay after catching onto his partners' thinking added, "I bet they were taking great care of their mom, here."

The pile of clothes moved a little and Erin heard a quiet sniffling. Erin slowly approached the pile of clothes and called out, "Sophia? Mariana? I'm a police officer, it's okay to come out sweetheart."

The cries grew louder and Erin could stand it no more, she leaned forward and pulled the clothes off them. Mariana launched herself at Erin and she caught the little girl and hugged her tight and let her little body cry it out. Sophia was a little more apprehensive but after seeing Erin's earnest smile she also allowed herself to be hugged by the police detective.

"I thought you was the scary mans from before." Sophia told her quietly.

"There were scary men before?" Erin asked gently.

"Uh huh." Sophia answered with a nod. "I hidded with Mari last time and I heard you so we hidded again."

"That was very smart of you." Erin nodded and she pulled the older girl in for another hug. "We are going to make sure you don't have any boo-boos and then we can find something yummy to eat."

"My mommy is sweeping?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah, baby she is sleeping, we are going to get her checked at the doctors too."

"Mommy otay?" Sophia asked.

"Do you like chocolate ice cream?" Jay asked.

Sophia nodded enthusiastically.

"How about we go get checked at the doctor quick and then you and I can get some ice cream?" Jay bargained with the little girl.

"You not a bad man?" Sophia questioned him.

"No baby, Jay isn't a bad man. He is a police officer just like me, he's okay. I promise." Erin soothed Sophia and with her reassurance Sophia nodded and walked forward to hold Jay's hand.

Erin and Jay were almost out the apartment door when the paramedics pulled up along with the rest of the Intelligence Unit.

Erin Lindsay had been holding Mariana since the little girl had jumped into her arms from the closet over 3 hours ago. Sophia had taken a particular liking to Jay and was content to hold his hand but was careful to not let her sister leave her sight. The chocolate ice cream was long gone, Sophia was alternating between sitting on Jay's lap and sitting on the child sized chair near his legs.

Doctors had checked both girls out but sadly Angel Greene/Martinez was too far gone. She had died after arriving to the hospital. Sophia and Mariana hadn't been told yet and no one was rushing to try and explain it to them.

"Erin." Voight said quietly and gestured to the staff lounge about 20 feet away. "We need to talk."

Erin looked down on Mariana and she found the little girl drowsily looking back at her. When she tried to put her down however, the little girl flew into panic and grasped her shirt tightly.

"It's okay sweetheart, I'll be right back." Erin shushed the little girl and tried to pull her fingers loose. Mariana started to cry and Erin looked just as upset. She looked at Voight, "Can't we talk in code or something?"

"Yeah, come on."

Erin soothed Mariana again and leaned down to talk to Sophia. "I'm going right across the hall, Jay is going to stay right here with you, okay?"

"Okay." She replied quietly.

Erin nodded and mouthed "thank you" to Jay as she headed over to talk with her sergeant.

Voight began, "We found traces of coke in the apartment and heroin needles."

"Anything to connect to the Momacks?"

"Not yet, but we uncovered a cell phone that might lead somewhere." Voight nodded and breached the more difficult subject. "There are no fathers listed." He began.

Erin nodded and feigned disinterest. Hank Voight knew better, Erin Lindsay had given her heart when she first set eyes on these little girls and she was probably already working on how to keep the girls with her. Feeling Voight's knowing gaze on her, she sighed.

"I already called Janice, she's filing the emergency foster paper work." Erin said and gave Voight a look that dared the older man to question her.

"I know it's hard to think about long term-" Hank Voight began and his eyebrows rose when Erin Lindsay cut him off.

"I _did_ think about this Hank." Erin paused and took a deep breath. "The feel of Mariana clenching my shirt or the mistrust in Sophia's eyes, I can't even put into words what I am feeling." Erin wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes and continued. "I feel connected to these girls, did I wake up this morning and think I was going to be here tonight? Hell no." Erin shook her head. "But, I'm going to protect them and the best way I know how to do that is to keep them close."

"Sounds like you've thought things out, what about daycare?" Voight questioned.

"People figure out child care dilemmas everyday, I can manage." Erin took a deep breath to calm her tone before continuing. "I can't go to sleep at night not knowing if they are safe or if they are scared. I can't save everyone but I _can _save these two little girls."

"I'm going to play Devil's advocate here and ask: What if your adoption doesn't get approved? What if the judge decides that the girls are better off in another home? With another family?"

"I'm going to hope that doesn't happen and if it does, at least I had the time with them while I could."

Hank Voight took in Erin Lindsay before him, she was fierce, protective and beautiful. He smiled softly at her and nodded. "I'm proud of you, kid."

"Thanks." Erin wiped away the tears that were bursting forth again and pulled the larger man into a hug.


End file.
